I have come to that realization on the way to Dad’s place. I am in love with my landlord. The man who drives me crazy but also makes me laugh and has been so kind when he didn’t need to be. The man who has a lively but intelligent teenage daughter he loves and is proud of. He would be the perfect partner for anyone.

The fact he has billions to his name means nothing to me. I forget how different our class standings are when we’re together; he’s just…him.

But telling him that I love him is going to be difficult. After all, who admitted to their landlord that they were in love with them? That was a little creepy if you take the sexual chemistry out of the equation. And Finn might just walk away from me if I admit my feelings.

God, this is too much for my head right now. I want to hide away from everything for a while. At least I’m not too far from Denver, and spring is beautiful where Dad lives. I can easily head back into the city if I’m needed.

Winding down is just what I needed, Maddison said. She’s right.

Going downstairs, I find Dad out on the front lawn taking the dead roses off the bush. He looks up and gives me a warm smile. Then he straightens up and walks over to me.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He keeps his pruning shears away from me and gives me a one-armed hug. “How was your nap? When I passed your room earlier, you were snoring away like a steam train.”

“I was not!”

“Well, you were. I take it you needed that.”

I groan and lean into him, my head on his shoulder.

“You could say that.”

“Do you need me to get you anything? Your mother’s pregnancy was rough on her, and she found that a small bowl of ice cream worked wonders when she felt like crap.”

“Ice cream? Isn’t that too much sugar?”

“If it works, I’m not going to argue.”

I had already told Dad about my pregnancy, trying not to break down in the car when I called him. Dad was surprised, but he took it well. He did ask if the father knew, and I had to lie to him and assure him that it wasn’t Nate’s baby. Dad doesn’t like Nate after what he did, and the thought of having my ex in his grandchild’s life for the next eighteen years, at the very minimum, didn’t fill him with joy. It certainly didn’t fill me with joy, and I was glad to say it wasn’t Nate’s baby.

I wonder what he will say when I tell him about Finn.

Smiling at Dad, I hug him.

“Ice cream sounds great. Just nothing too fancy. I don’t want to throw it up again.”

“Don’t worry. Vanilla cures a lot of things, including nausea.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, Dad.”

Chuckling, Dad kisses my head and walks back to the rose.

“How long are you planning on staying? You didn’t say anything about that on the phone.”

Shoving my hands into my pockets and my sneakers sinking into the grass, I follow him and watch him clip off the dead and dying flowers. Dad loves gardening. I never knew he had such green fingers until he turned fifty and decided to start up a new hobby. Even after all this time, I’m learning something new about Dad every day.

“I’m not sure yet. It’s something I’m a little stuck on. Maybe a couple of days.”

“What about the bookstore? Will it be okay?”

“Maddison is looking after it for now. She’s done it before.”

“But she can’t do it forever.” Dad glances at me. “What about the rent? You said it had gone up and went back down again. Even at the old rent price, you’ll need to find ways to get the money.”

“I know, Dad. I’ve been doing this for years.”

Sighing, Dad lowers his shears.

“You know you can ask me if you need any help with money, Jade. I’ve said before…”